Im totally lost out there trying to read through all of the mic information:

I need a mic because i dont like the mic on my XL-H1; i can spend around 200-450 Dollars for the mic. My main use would be to record voice overs or interviews but i sometimes need to record a live event too...

SO i was looking for the RODE Stereo Video Mic or the RODE NT2A. Is there any downside of using a "studio" mic like the NT2A for location recording. What i mean is will it work to putt the NT2A on a boom or is is this just a bad idea.

Summary:
- Studio recording of voice for voiceover (standard corporate video.)
- Budged on location recording of live events sometimes music sometimes social ... whatever there may come...
- 200 to 450 Dollars
- XL-H1

What would you suggest? THANKS!

I have to make a decision at least tomorrow... Any sugestions?!
Thanks so much for any help!

Alas, you've listed three (actually 4 if you split indoor and outdoor dialog recording) different tasks that have quite different requirements and IMHO you're going to be hard-pressed to find a 'one size fits all' mic to do all three jobs.

Voice over and narration - studio condensor mic or dynamic vocal mic - Rode NT1a, NT2, EV RE-20, etc

Location recording of dialog - directional mic such as a hypercardioid condensor on a boom indoors and a hyper or shotgun outdoors - A/T 4053a, AKG Blueline CK93, Videomic, NTG1 shotgun, etc

Location recording of music - stereo mic or a pair of conventional mics on a stand - Rode NT4, 2x A/T 3031, etc

There's a gazillion other mics in all those categories, of course. Just mentioned those off the top of my head as examples of each type. The point is that a mic that gives good results for your voice-over in a studio setting, for example, isn't going to be the best choice on a boom for dialog in the field.

Michael,

The Rode NT2a is a nice mic for studio applications. I use its big brother the NT1000 for VO work and it gives a very rich detailed sound that is superb on my edited work. I don't think that you will be able to use it in the field however - as being a studio mic it is designed to be used for close up VO work and is not great when being handled. It needs a good suspension system to work well.

For work outside the studio, the Rode Shotguns (such as the NTG1) are also very good mics for the price, as is the SVM. Out of interest I have both of these mics and am very impressed with them as well. I also have several high quality Sennheisers and except for the MKH416 - I prefer to Rode mics - although the Sennheiser MKE64 is a very good inside on camera voice mic that I use often.

Sorry to waffle - but to cut a long story short I have most of the mics you mention - and I don't think that you will be dissapointed with any of them. but the NT2a is really only for studio only work, you will need a good shotgun or hypercardiod such as the NTG1 or MKE64 for other applications outdoor and indoor.

Thank you so much for the quick response... unfortunately i am still highly confused ;)

So to get it right: i will need at leas 3 mics right?!: One stereo mic for concert recording one studio mic for voice recording and one shotgun?

So what would be the best guess for studio recording (voiceover) and controlled indoor Interviews with a static setup?! This would be the first microphone i need.


To be a little more specific:

"Studio" recording: A speeker in front of my video edditing equipment in my office doing a voice over.

"Interview on location": Beeing at the office of some company doing a interview with the CEO. So its quiet and the mic could be moved very close to the speaker. Rocording either through the XL-H1 or an laptop with some XLR soundcard in.

What would be my best guess (if the budget is about 400 - 500 dollars max.)?

Thanks again!

For a shotgun, check out the Audio Technika 897.
Bruce Yarock
www.yarock.com

For your sit-down interviews have you considered a wired lav?

Thank you for all of your advice!

I have ordered a Rode NT2A and a EMU 0404 USB - i had the chance to listen to it today and am really pleased with its performance.

I think i will need a shotgun mic also but have more time to choose one.

Happy recording everyone ;)

For your voice over work, best to move the mic away from the equipment. Condensor mics are very sensitive and will pick up the sound of your toenails growing. A treated room is best, but there are some DIY alternatives that can help a bit, but not perfect.

There is no universal mic as Steve House says. And his suggestions are very good . For interview always use wired/wireles lav mic. It is standard in audio for video world,(and when you doo your first try with NT2 you will find out why, but this is exellent mic for voicover in a good treated vocal booth definetly not something for a boom and road) Wired lav will probably fit your next budget. Beware of double system recording for long takes (camera+laptop with soundacard&mic) It will drift out of sinc, if you dont supply some sort of sincronysation equipment(expensive). NTG1/ NTG2 are good boom or on camera mono mics. Beware of impendancy it is not same for both NTG mics and this is realy big problem(NTG2 is quite long, and on camera with on camera light it gives you shadows). NTG1/NTG2 you can use for corporate interviews and for on location sound and very probably for vocalbooth voiceovers. It will not sound as big as NT series but good enough for low budget. Stereo mic is different ball game. Cheap is Sony ECM-MS957, there is lots of sound databases for film and video done with his predecesors, and its mono compatible! After that it gets expensive and you must know for what exactly you will be using it. Most versitile for video work and for onboard camera (or boom) is Shure VP88 (also MS style mic, mono compatible, and you can select how wide you want to go with your stereo picture, and it looks great). For studio work AKG C1000 matched pair (and you can probably use them for interviews, and on a boom as single and they are very cheap, I dindnt work with C1000 but I have heard couple of takes with them and they seem ok, so you have to check for your self, but also beware every mic will sound alot better then yours on camera mic, look for what is made for primary, C1000 is too heavy and too large diameter for on camera mic and so on, and its golden color so its overly present in your picture and for stereo positioning for two mics there is lots of problems for video, but its heavenly cheap and with lots of goodies) Sorry I am to late, but NT2 is exellent chioce for a start and for in studio vocal booth mic that you also need. I have work years and thousends of takes in my studio with NT1, Akg solitube, akg 414xl2. I have tested NTG1/NTG2 and sony ecm 678 for front input of DSR250. You can always use every mic for everything but if quality is what you want, you have to obey some rules and this test show us why. We choose Sony ECM 678.